Be loyal, or be in deep doo-doo, goes the message of many of Grimms' Fairy Tales. It doesn't matter what you think you stand to gain by betraying someone, or whether it's just hilarious to stick it to 'em. Disloyal friends and siblings are lucky to get away only missing a few body parts; mostly they're just killed. Sometimes lovers or spouses are enchanted and forget each other, and that's usually worth forgiving. But otherwise? Don't risk it. We don't recommend even making catty comments about how that dress totally doesn't match those glass slippers.
Questions About Loyalty
- Some of the tales bring sibling rivalry to whole new heights. What are some of the causes of these nasty sibling relationships? Where'd the loyalty go?
- Would you apply the term bromance to any of the fairy tales in this collection? Why or why not?
- Whose relationships are most loyal in the tales? Whose are least? Any patterns?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Love conquers all…or does it?
You're in deep. The best back-up plan you could have in a fairy-tale "oh crap!" situation is a loyal friend, not cleverness, beauty, or goodness.